Because of the strong demand for oil, gas prices at the pumps are at all time highs. As demand continues to increase and oil reserves are depleted, gas prices will undoubtedly increase even further. To date, consumers of gasoline purchase their gasoline at commercial gas stations and have relied on the apparent accuracy of gas pump meter readings to determine the amount of gasoline dispensed by the gas pump. While different states use different agencies (e.g., Department of Weights and Measures) to routinely inspect gas pumps and their accuracy, there remain ample opportunities for gas pumps to inaccurately dispense gasoline.
Unfortunately, inaccurate meter settings and/or calibration may result in consumers paying more per gallon than advertised. Also, unscrupulous gas station owners may intentionally manipulate the meter settings to defraud consumers. With current gas prices, even a small inaccuracy or manipulation results in a significant and unnecessary loss for the consumer.
To prevent such inaccuracies and calibration errors, there is the need for a device and method for verifying the volume of gasoline dispensed by commercial gas pumps.